by Matt Slovin, USA TODAY Sports

by Matt Slovin, USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH - Three days after a bench-clearing brawl erupted between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks, the tension remains in the Dodger clubhouse.

Major League Baseball on Friday handed down suspensions to eight players, coaches and managers of both teams. In addition, four players, including Los Angeles rookie sensation Yasiel Puig, received fines.

The most severe punishment was given to Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy, who has been suspended for 10 games for intentionally throwing at Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke's head after the teams had been warned earlier in the game.

That wasn't sufficient retribution to appease several Dodgers players into putting the fight in the past.

"I don't think it's over. Everybody knows it's not over," said Ronald Belisario, ominously indicating the hatchet won't be buried quite yet and more drama could be on the way.

Greinke said that even an accident can be misconstrued as having intent.

"I don't know how everyone feels about it on their side or our side. One person is all it takes," he said. "If one person is still upset, they could start the whole thing over again."

The 2009 Cy Young Award winner did say, however, that any personal issues between himself and Kennedy would be worked out privately, instead of through reporters. The usually candid Greinke had a hard time expressing his feelings on how the fight played out without inciting any more bad blood.

"Every answer I have can be put in a way to make things wrong," he said. "When you ask questions you probably shouldn't be talking about, it's hard to answer. I like to tell the truth, but it's hard to talk about something that probably shouldn't be talked about."

As Greinke walked to the plate in the seventh inning of Tuesday's game-turned-melee, he didn't notice Arizona catcher Miguel Montero staring him down as a result of Greinke hitting Montero in the top of the frame. In the sixth inning, Puig had been hit in the face with a Kennedy pitch. After examining the video, Greinke saw Montero's death stare but said he avoided eye contact at the time because "nothing good could come from it."

Nothing good came of the at-bat anyway as Kennedy opted for revenge, directly leading to the full-on brawl. Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly said Friday that Kennedy was the clear instigator but that his punishment is fair.

Mattingly was given a one-game suspension for his role in the brawl. He needed to be restrained in a heated exchange with Arizona manager Kirk Gibson, who also received a one-game ban. Mattingly also said he understands why he was punished and will serve the suspension in Friday's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, when bench coach Trey Hillman acts as manager. Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire was slapped with a two-game suspension.

The National League West foes still have 10 regular-season games against each other remaining, and Mattingly knows the quarrel will provide plenty of fodder for conversation when the teams next meet. Los Angeles will travel to Phoenix for three games against the Diamondbacks on July 8-10.

"There's no way for us to go to Arizona now without having to talk about it," Mattingly said, before suggesting the media will make sure of that. "There'll be an effort to keep it alive, and it won't be by the players or (managers)."

But even amongst Mattingly's clubhouse, fuel continues to be added to the fire as some seem determined to keep the battle raging even after MLB passed down discipline.